Race and classic pictures

Hill closes the curtain on Brabham's glorious story

On this day in 1992, a Brabham appeared for the very last time on the grid of an F1 Grand Prix, thanks to a valiant effort by one Damon Hill.

In the years that preceded its demise, Brabham had been on life support, operating on shoestring budgets and with cars that were both unreliable and uncompetitive. Results were predictably non-existent.

It all came to a head at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where a tenacious Damon Hill qualified his BT60B on the last row before enduring a hopeless run to P11.

Without any funding, the team collapsed, went into administration, its owners fleeing the scene pursued by tax fraud claims.

It was a sad end to a glorious F1 story started thirty years earlier by the great Jack Brabham and carried later to greater success by Bernie Ecclestone.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.